I held in my frown, knowing she was referring to Cody. Why did I relate so much with Cody? I wasn’t a carefree, blow with the wind, kind of person. I liked structure and very few bumps in the road. My personality was perfect for a long term relationship, which is basically what Mack and I had, minus our peers knowing.
“Do you want kids?” Mindy asked after opening the door to leave the mall. “You seem like the type that would love being a mom.”A smile slipped across my lips. “I always imagined myself with kids. Someday it’ll happen.”Mindy sighed dramatically. “Just waiting for our Prince Charming’s to sweep us off our feet.” She wiggled her eyes at me when we reached her car. “Well, my Prince Charming will spread my legs before he sweeps me off my feet.”I nearly snorted at her admission, then a vision of Mack holding me in his arms flooded my brain. Was he my Prince Charming? He was tMackThree weeks had gone by, and Christmas was five days away. I might as well have been the Grinch, because I was cranky and frustrated every day with the absence of Kelsey. I wanted her desperately, but at the same time, I was sick of the games. I had only put my heart out there for one woman, and she wasn’t willing to meet me halfway. Hell, she hadn’t even bothered to reach out to me and compromise.Okay, so we had discussed what our relationship was, but we needed to redraft the stipulations. I was sick of throwing my heart out there for her to stomp on and disregard.My phone rang, and it was my mother. Seeing her spend time with Gary while he and Portia were in a funk was unsettling, and a whole other can of worms I wasn’t ready to open.“Hey, mom. Everything alright?”“I’d be better if every time I called, you didn’t assume something tragic has happened to me.”I smiled. “Sorry.
KelseyMy stomach had been in knots ever since he left me in the stairwell three weeks ago. I’d contemplated what had happened and the words that were said between us, and I couldn’t bring myself to let go of my pride and apologize for getting so upset. I understood why he’d flown off the handle, I really did, but I was still afraid of the label that would be stamped on my back if the world found out I was exclusive with Mackenzie Craft, the owner of the company.By his lack of attempts to make amends, I figured he was doing just fine without me, even though I was miserable on the inside.“I brought coffee!” Mindy greeted. “No bagels today. I finally got that red dress to zip last night, you know, the one I bought for the Christmas party?”I gave her a smile, but my lip wouldn’t stop from quivering. I’d been dreading this evening for the past week. I wasn’t in the mood to get dressed up and
KelseyEven though I left the office early, the most staff had vanished before I got the chance, all eager for the party. I hit my couch the second I got home, crashing until Mindy pounded on my door.She flew in with multiple dresses and a bag full of makeup, prepared to do magical work. I would have been perfectly fine to stay under the fuzzy fleece blanket for the rest of the night, completely skipping the party, but I wanted to see Mack, and I didn’t have any more excuses to keep myself from reaching out to him. Besides being miserable, I knew I was in the wrong with how I’d been acting. He had every reason to be upset with me, and I was ready to be on the same page as him when it came to our relationship.Instead of sending him a text to ask if he was going to be there, I dressed according to Mindy’s approval, knowing he’d be more than pleased. That was, if he was still interested in me. I’d be devastated if he weren&rs
Her head craned in the other direction, the rest of her body dashing out of the main room and into the hallway. I picked up my pace, dodging chairs and employees, giving nods for greetings, but sure to lose sight of Kesley. Once I got through the pile of people, I checked both ways down the hallway, catching a glimmer of her dress sneak into a room.Ignoring that it was a powder room labeled women only, I opened the door, worried she might have fallen sick again. She had missed a lot of work recently, and by her slender figure and peaked coloring, losing her stomach could be the reason for her quick departure. That or she was avoiding me.“Kelsey?” I asked, cautiously opening the door. I let out a breath of relief when she was the only one in the cozy room. She wasn’t facing me, but leaning on the countertop in front of a mirror, girly products in a woven basket on the end. “Are you alright?”Her eyes darted to mine through the mirr
My jaw hung open, and I was replaying what she said over and over. Did I really hear that right?“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it,” she said under her breath, storming to the door.I was still locked in place, unable to move my feet.Pregnant? How? We were always so careful. She was on the pill, and if she felt unsure, she’d give me a condom, even offered to roll those suckers on for me. In fact, I assumed she preferred for us to use them more so than not. I would never say no if she felt more comfortable with me wearing one, even if I preferred skin on skin.Like we were in my office the last time we were together.Or at the Christmas Wishes event for the Children’s Hospital in the janitor’s closet, but that was her idea. She attacked me. Like I would turn down a sexy romp with her.I guess it only takes one time, and apparently, her birth control had faltered.By the time I lifted my head fr
Warmth spread through me when she said those two words, and a giddy grin spread across my lips.She laughed and gently squeezed my bicep. “Sounds like you need to talk to him and tell him how you feel. Get over your pride and not worry about what others think. As for worrying about him being bored of you, that’s always a fear. If you trust him and invest in the relationship, he won’t get bored.”My smile faded. “I think he might be over me, or I might have just jumped a thousand steps ahead of what he’s ready for.”She knitted her brows. “I don’t understand.”Letting out a long breath, I confided in the stranger. “I just found out I’m pregnant.”Her eyes widened and she took a step back. “Really? His baby?”“Yes,” I sighed. “It’s his.”She took a sharp breath, then shook her head. “I’m sorry, of course, it’
I headed for the parking lot, both hands in my pockets, feeling defeated.Then I saw her from behind, standing by the curb rubbing her shoulders for warmth. She wasn’t wearing anything but the sleeveless dress, and I wanted to scold her for being careless, but instead, I shrugged out of my jacket and cautiously walked toward her. My heart raced with each step, feeling completely blind on how this was going to go. I only hoped it wouldn’t end in tears or shouting, and I convinced myself to play nice, no matter how defensive I might become.When I set my jacket over her shoulders, she jumped from the contact.“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”She held her hand to her chest, her beautiful emerald eyes taking me in as I stood by her. The skin around her eyes were puffy as if she’d been crying, and it tore at my heart. I wanted to hold her, to comfort her, but that would only agitate her more.“Headed hom
I scrunched my brows, searching the tree. It was covered in different types of USB drives. Some with vibrant colors, some as food items or cartoon characters. I grinned and shook my head.“Did you know, how a man treats his mother is how he’s expected to treat his future wife?” A small voice spoke.My eyes darted around the tree, and my heart pounded when Kelsey tiptoed from the back of it. She was standing in a long puffy coat, a hat covering her straightened blonde hair. Her cheeks were red from the cold, but her smile, although weary and apprehensive, was filled with warmth.My lip twitched upward, unable to stop itself from stretching into a full-blown smile. “Hi. What are you doing here?”She shrugged, taking a step so she was directly in front of me. Her citrus scent filled my nostrils from the proximity, and I took a long blink, inhaling the smell as if I would become intoxicated.“I didn’t want to go to
The telltale sound of his zipper sent a shiver down my back. He blew air through his nose, and I knew he was stroking himself. I wanted to spin around and help him, but he kept a firm hand on my hip, then skidded it to the front of my thigh, urging me to sit back on him. Both his arms stabilized me now, steadying me while I hovered over his shaft.The tip of his cock brushed against my clit and I shifted backward, engulfing his length between my folds. I found a rhythm that rubbed the sensitive bud perfectly.“That’s it baby, move how you like,” he murmured, keeping himself from driving into me, but encouraged the gyration of my hips with his palms.My hands were set on his desk, leaning as far forward as I could, giving me the leverage I needed to keep a steady pace.He groaned, palming my belly. I covered his hand, feeling a bond between the four of us. If I were out of the moment or trying to explain it to someone, they wouldn’t get it,
Seven Months LaterKelsey“Mrs. Craft, you’re glowing today!” Ms. Carmichael greeted, standing from her seat. She paced around her desk, taking me in from head to toe.I hadn’t been in the office in over a month due to the doctor’s orders. After our dash of a wedding with only a handful of people in attendance, bedrest was requested, and sitting around the apartment was causing me to go stir crazy.Ms. Carmichael crinkled her nose. “Does Mr. Craft know you’re coming to visit?”Holding up a container, I said, “No, I thought I’d bring him some lunch.” She chewed on her bottom lip, and I laughed. “Don’t worry, if he’s grumpy it’ll be geared towards me, not you.”She laughed, but the tension around her eyes proved she was timid toward calling him. I’d help with that. His eight months pregnant wife could interrupt his work.When I came in, the
MackThe day I had been planning for the past month was finally here, and although it didn’t go into motion until a month ago, I had imagined it happening since November. I’d dropped a pretty penny to make my vision become a reality, and with the help of Portia and my mother, Kelsey would be in awe and left speechless, and hopefully even more full of joy than she already was.I buttoned my light blue dress shirt while I stared at my sun kissed face in the mirror, still wondering if the past year had been a dream. It was on this day a year ago that I took the chance and closed the space between us in my office, opening a whole new world that neither of us expected to unravel. I was still just as hungry for her now as I was then, but now, I couldn’t live without her, and I was ready to take the final step to becoming fully committed.Kelsey came behind me, wrapping her arms around my waist and resting his head between my shoulder blades. &ldquo
One Month LaterKelseyI inhaled the fresh salty air, basking in the warm sun I’d desperately longed for. Winter in Ohio was rough, and when Mack surprised me with tickets to a resort in the Florida Keys, I was ecstatic.My skin was smooth and hungry for the rays while I laid on the cozy outdoor lounger next to our private pool that overlooked the beach. Mack had jumped in the pool to cool off, and I was enjoying the view of his defined shoulder blades and biceps while he swam.I’d been exhausted the past three months, and found a new bundle of energy when he’d given me the airline ticket. I was going to take advantage of our alone time, and the pulse that awakened between my legs was going to make up for all the nights I’d fallen asleep before getting lost in him.Mack never complained, if anything, he was coddling me, and I was eager to take care of him, and soon. He climbed out of the pool, his forearms flexing alon
Small sized single showers weren’t intimidating to Mack Craft when he wanted sexy time together. You’d think I’d be gun shy when it came to shower sex considering I slipped and gauged my head the last time we messed around, but I was more than ready to have his hands on me. The close proximity made our time together all the more better.We crawled into bed after our thorough shower, Mack in sweats and me in one of his t-shirts, the heavy, Aztek designed quilt covering us both. Mack pulled me to his chest and tangled our legs together.He ran his fingers through my damn hair, taking turns between stroking and massaging. A softness was laced with his gaze, his brows relaxed as his eyes took me in. “Tell me about your day with my dad,” I asked him, wondering if the time he spent with him was partly why his temperament was easy.“It was eye-opening and much needed. I didn’t realize the reservations were so poverty stricken.&
She met my grin, and did as I asked, rolling to her side as I climbed off her, then continued unpacking.Kelsey must have been tired because her breathing had changed within minutes of closing her eyes. I loved watching her sleep. Something about her relaxed state was soothing and brought me comfort knowing she felt safe and cared for to sleep soundly.***Lunch with my mother came in what felt like the snap of my fingers, and I found myself sitting in my car giving myself a pep talk before joining her at her favorite restaurant. Normally we’d sit outside, but the weather was bitter cold and snow was still on the ground.“Don’t overthink this,” I murmured to myself, my hands sliding around the steering wheel. Taking another deep breath, I shut off the car and headed into the café.She was sitting at a table when I arrived, her back to me. Her dark hair was tied back into it’s perfect bun, her j
“Has Kelsey been hunting with you?” I asked as we sat on logs near the lake. Amos had started a fire and had butchered parts of the elk. I wasn’t expecting him to pull out cooking utensils and seasons from his backpack, prepared to roast whatever animal we’d come across for dinner.He took a long drag of his cigarette before answer. “No, she hasn’t. I wish I had taught her, but it’s not my people’s way. Hunting is meant for the man, not the woman. I know that’s a stereotype the world doesn’t like to hear, but it’s our culture, and if our people don’t like it, they don’t have to do it. We don’t hold our own kind hostage.”I rested my elbows on my knees. “You don’t like that she has a career and lives in the city, do you?”Amos kept his eyes on the flames, watching the piece of meat cook. “I wish she were closer to home. I’m glad she’s foun
I found myself getting into Talon’s basketball game. He was pretty athletic, and ran the court with assertiveness. I wasn’t surprised, the kid had a strong disposition, and leadership would be in his future if he kept it up.Carsyn sat on Kelsey’s lap for most of the game, talking her ear off until she gave him her phone to play with. I didn’t mind that he was chatty, he didn’t require answers from me or Amos, so we were able to focus on the game. Amos was more interested than I would have predicted, and even cheered for his boy. Simon was on the end of the bench as one of the assistant coaches, the one who made sure they were all hydrated and encouraged.“You’ll have fun,” Kelsey said while Simon mingled with some of the other parents just outside of the gym in the parking lot, and Amos gave Talon his fatherly recap of the basketball game. “My dad is a big teddy bear.”I touched her cheek. “I&rsq
“Sorry I passed out last night,” Kelsey said when I emerged from the bathroom. I’d woken up a few hours earlier, unable to fall back asleep, so I plugged in my computer and ran through some emails while she continued to sleep. As badly as I wanted to wake her for a shower, she needed her rest.“I was tired too,” I admitted. My eyes closed nearly as fast as hers did.I’d woken up when she had her first round of morning sickness, but didn’t want her to realize I’d heard her. I knew she felt awkward when I’d try to comfort her, and I also knew if I started to move around, she wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep. She needed to rest more now that she was growing two babies.She stood from the bed and stretched, her hips showing when her arms rose into the air. She’d thrown on one of my white undershirts, and like normal, her nipples were poking against the thin fabric to say good morning. Reaching out